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July 27 – Day of Cyril and Methodius and Their Five Disciples

7/27/2009 9:00:23 AM

On July 27, the Christian world celebrates the memory of the two brothers Cyril and Methodius and their five disciples. On this day in 916, the last one of the seven Slavonic enlighteners – Clement Ohridski, died. Besides the two brothers and St.Clement Ohridski, on this day people also celebrate the memory of the other four disciples – Gorazd, Naum, Angelarius, and Sava,. Clement took part in the preparation of the Moravian mission and accompanied Cyril and Methodius in Moravia, Panonia and Rome. In Bulgaria, he carried out massive literary work. Naum worked as a teacher in Preslavand Kutmichevitza. In the end of his life, he lived in a monastery he built on the shore of the Ohrid lake. Gorazd was a highly-educated man of letters, he knew Greek, Slavonic and Latin language. Angelarius used to lead a fight with the German priesthood in Moravia, and later on, together with Naum and Sava, came to Bulgaria, where he was warmly welcomed by the Bulgarian ruler Boris I. The tradition of paying homage to all seven enlighteners together is very old. Their names are earliest mentioned in the Extensive Passional of St. Clement Ohridski by archbishop Teofilactus, which was written sometime in the end of XI century. In XIII century, the cult of Cyril and Methodius and their five disciples became popular in the Bulgarian lands.